Designing a horizontal bandsaw from the ground up

[Strostkovy]

I'm late to the party but I did a bunch of calculations and found that a hydraulic wheel motor for a scissor lift is pretty much ideal for a cold saw. Excellent power, efficient reduction, minimal hub size, and an easy shaft to mount to.

All you need is a pivot, your angle swivel, automatic downfeed if you like (Preferably toothload set feed rate), and a vise.

It's pretty challenging to get a coldsaw to not cut straight. I also did some general research that seemed to suggest you can run far more than three teeth in the cut if you can provide the downforce to support it and the rigidity/hub design to prevent chatter.

 

[john.k]

i gots a question......if you re cutting up 20 ft lengths of steel ,how is it you can avoid having a 20 ft infeed roller track?

 

[memphisjed]

i gots a question......if you re cutting up 20 ft lengths of steel ,how is it you can avoid having a 20 ft infeed roller track?

I cut 60’ with 40’ on infeed and 35 on outfeed. Not ideal outfeed but agreage for the the saw is get what you got.

 

[Garwood]

i gots a question......if you re cutting up 20 ft lengths of steel ,how is it you can avoid having a 20 ft infeed roller track?

At the least you need a roller support 33% in from the end of the longest bar you cut to keep it from walking up as the auto feed grips it. You don't need to support the very end of what you're cutting.

My last 12' from the saw blade on my auto saw. I will add a portable support if I'm cutting long flimsy stuff, but most of the time it's no problem. The biggest thing I cut in my auto saw is 24' lengths of 6x6x3/4" angle. It does just fine with a support at 12'.